Dr Padric McGee

 Position Demonstrator - Computer Specialist
 Org Unit School of Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences
 Email padric.mcgee@adelaide.edu.au
 Telephone +61 8 8313 3433
 Location Floor/Room 1 ,  Oliphant ,   North Terrace
  • Teaching Interests

    Introductory general astronomy.

    Development of content for practical teaching in astronomy.

    Methods of optical astronomical observation, particularly small-telescope, CCD-based imaging, photometry and spectroscopy.

    Introductory physics laboratories.

  • Research Interests

    Astronomy Research

    Spectroscopy of eta Carinae, Be stars, and other targets.

    Photometry of cataclysmic variable stars.

    Photometry of other high-energy sources such as AGN, X-ray binaries.

    Photometry of exoplanet host stars, to search for transits. 

    Narrowband imaging and related spectroscopy of nebulae.

     

    IT/Research Support Areas

    : website creation and maintenance experience using Joomla, Plone, Drupal, Squarespace, Dreamweaver, the university's former Template Management System, direct coding of HTML andd CSS; for university, state and national research bodies, for international conferences, and site customisation for a commercial web developer

    : experience using video-collaboration tools Access Grid (now defunct), SeeVogh (now ViewMe by eZuce), and Google Chromebox for Meetings

    : support within the ARC Centre of Excellence for Dark Matter Particle Physics, the SABRE South dark matter direct-detection experiment, the Centre for the Subatomic Structure of Matter

     

    3D imaging and content generation

    : real-world stereoscopic image acquisition

    : development of stereoscopic CGI content

  • Publications

    Monte Carlo simulation of the SABRE PoP background. Antonello, M. et al. Astroparticle Physics, 106, 1-9.

    The N2K consortium. III. Short-period planets orbiting HD 149143 and HD 109749. Fischer, D. et al. Astrophysical Journal, 2006; 637(2):1094-1101.

    On the search for transits of the planets orbiting Gliese 876. Shankland, P. et al. Astrophysical Journal, 2006; 653(1):700-707.

    Superhumps in cataclysmic binaries. XXI. HP Librae (=EC 15330-1403). Patterson, J. et al. Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 2002; 114(791):65-73.

    Multiwavelength observations of PKS 2255-282. Tornikoski, M. et al. Astronomical Journal, 1999; 118(3):1161-1168.

    TeV gamma-ray observations of three X-ray selected BL Lacs. Roberts, M. et al. Astronomy and Astrophysics, 1999; 343(3):691-696.

    Spectroscopy and photometry of EUVE J1429-38.0: An eclipsing magnetic cataclysmic variable. Howell, S.B. et al. Astronomical Journal 113(6):2231-2241 01 Jun 1997.

    An anomolous stellar image on an astronomical slide photograph. McGee, P. Proceedings of the Astronomical Society of Australia 10(2):118-119 1992.

  • Community Engagement

    Exhibitions

    November 2018-April 2019 : generated Science-on-a-Sphere visualisations of satellite orbits for the UniSA Museum of Discovery exhibition entitled "Orbitopia".

    November 2007-January 2008 : pruduction of anaglyph stereo images from archival black-and-white stereo pairs for the Art Gallery of South Australia's "A Century in Focus" exhibition.

    August-September 2005 : developed modern stereo images from archival stereo piars, and a 3D animation, for the SA Museum's "Bragg About Adelaide" exhibition.

    September-October 2004 : developed CGI animations of solar system objects for projection during Syntony vocal ensemble's "Harmony of the Spheres" concerts at the AGSA Auditorium and Veritas Winery.

     

    Radio segments

    April 23rd 2023 : Live radio interview on ABC Radio Adelaide with Spence Denny, regarding the recent spate of bright aurora australis sightings from South Australia and elsewhere.

    February 23rd 2023 : Live radio interview on ABC Radio Adelaide "Afternoons with Sonya Feldhoff", regarding the recent spate of aurora australis sightings from South Australia.

    May 26th 2021 : Live radio interview on radio station 2SER about the supermoon and total lunar eclipse of May 26th 2021.

    April 29th 2021 : Live radio interview on radio station 2SER about the supermoon of April 27th 2021.

    April 7th 2021 : Radio interview for "The Wire", about the interstellar object 'Oumuamua.

    December 10th 2020 : Pre-recorded interview for "The Wire", a daily segment broadcast on community and indigenous radio across Australia, regarding the forthcoming conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn.

    February 13th 2020 : live interview on ABC Regional 693 "From the archives", covering the December 4th 2002 total solar eclipse and forthcoming events for South Australia.

    January 8th 2019 : live interview on Radio Adelaide about China's Chang'e 4 lunar probe.

    July 27th 2018 : pre-recorded segment for Radio 2GB, on the July 27th 2018 total lunar eclipse.

    January 15th 2015 : live interview on 5AA about the New Horizons probe nearing Pluto.

    October 2014 total lunar eclipse : several live and pre-recorded interviews on ABC 891, Triple M, SAFM.

    April 2014 total lunar eclipse : live interview on ABC 891.

    November 2012 partial solar eclipse, interview on SAFM.

    December 2002 total solar eclipse : interview on ABC regional radio 693.

    Undated : live interviews on ABC 891 about a "blue moon", and a conjunction of Venus, Jupiter and the Moon.

     

    TV 

    December 22nd 2020 : Channel 9 News - interview about the very close conjuntion of Jupiter and Saturn.

    May 22nd 2019 : ABC TV news - short grab filmed in the university Observatory about the fireball seen on the night of Tuesday 21/5.

     

    Newspaper/online items

    August 2016 Perseid meteor shower : advice to Australian Geographic for online article about the shower.

    October 2015 total lunar eclipse : quoted in photo caption, October 9th, 2014 Advertiser.

    December 2002 total solar eclipse : assistance to The Australian for preparation of a map of the eclipse track.

     

    Outreach

    September 2023 : observing session on campus for University Senior College students.

    Tours of the university Observatory for Open Days

    September 2019 : Observatory visit and outdoors telescope viewing session for students from Henley High School.

    September 2018 : Observatory visit and outdoors telescope viewing session for students from Henley High School.

    Continuing : school student interviews for students' research projects- various astronomy and space topics, for example: human travel to, and living on, Mars. 

    March 2016: Use of the campus Observatory as a filming location for the latest TV ads for the University.

    June 2015 : School student visits to the campus observatory for Adelaide Compass.

    December 2014 : School student visits to the campus observatory for Adelaide Compass.

    Fringe festivals 2011 and 2012 : developed and presented two hour-long 3D shows about the solar system, in the Visualisation Lab, total audiences around 1500.

    Photography : use of the campus observatory as a photo location for The Australian, the Advertiser, and for university Marketing. 

    Photography : use of the SAPAC/eRSA Vislab for photography for the Adelaidean and for university Marketing.

    Kojo Productions : advice on portraying crystal diffraction for their film "Driven to Diffraction".

     

  • Media Expertise

    CategoriesAstronomy & Space
    ExpertiseAstronomical events of public interest; space events of public interest; eclipses; space exploration; astronomical images; telescopes;exoplanets;
    Mobile0406 125 984

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Entry last updated: Wednesday, 13 Dec 2023

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